1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake light system for a vehicle and, more particularly, a system that operates brake lights for a set period of time after removal of a driver's foot from a vehicle brake pedal and thus opening of a brake pedal switch.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional brake light systems for vehicles in worldwide use provide rear mounted brake lights that illuminate bright red whenever a brake pedal is depressed and the lights are extinguished when the driver's foot is removed from the brake pedal. To improve the effectiveness of brake lights as warning devices, late model automobiles have been provided with an additional centrally located brake light placed at approximately eye level with respect to drivers of trailing vehicles. Despite such wide spread improvements, rear end collisions continue to occur with substantial frequency, indicating that there is room for improvement.
It has been proposed in the past to intermittently flash the brake lights to more effectively attract the attention of drivers in the trailing vehicles. Examples of such arrangements include U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,527, issued on Apr. 27, 1971 to William E. Howard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,151, issued on Sep. 19, 1972 to Tatsuo Hasegawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,365, issued on Aug. 24, 1982 to Charles E. Ingram, U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,210, issued on Sep. 6, 1983 to Patrick O. Sullivan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,218, issued on Sep. 6, 1994 to Daniel S. Woods et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,841, issued on Oct. 15, 1996 to Sobas R. Pandohie.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,674, issued on Jul. 2, 1996 to Paul J. Michaud, describes a brake lighting system for a motorcycle in which an electrical switch is activated anytime the throttle handle is in its normal or released idle position to illuminate the brake light. Michaud does not suggest the brake delay light according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,887, issued on Feb. 5, 1991 to Robert Lee, describes a brake lighting system with a delay timer which provides continued illumination of the brake lights for a predetermined period of time after deactivation of the brakes. However, Lee does not suggest the convenient brake light delay application arrangement according to the claimed invention.
Great Britain Pat. No. 2,239,701, published on Jul. 10, 1991, describes a brake lighting system which includes means to detect a parameter related to the degree of braking and means to flash the brake lights with a flashing characteristic which varies with variations in the detected parameters. Great Britain '701 does not suggest the brake delay light according to the claimed invention.
Great Britain Pat. No. 2,269,493, published on Feb. 9, 1994, describes a brake lighting system which includes means to monitor the degree of force/severity and the speed of brake application, and in emergency braking conditions one or more warning lights flash on and off. The warning lights may be the hazard warning lights, the normal brake lights, the rear window mounted third brake light, or all of these together. Great Britain '493 does not suggest the brake delay light according to the claimed invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.